


Peru

by thegirloverseas



Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: A Little Fraud, Dancing in the Rain, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Involuntary Shopping Spree, Road Trip, Skinny Dipping, Vacation, smut if I'm brave enough... we'll see
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:28:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26045005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegirloverseas/pseuds/thegirloverseas
Summary: Raquel and Sergio take a road trip for a special occasion.
Relationships: Raquel Murillo/Professor | Sergio Marquina
Comments: 80
Kudos: 196





	1. Morning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Evendale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evendale/gifts), [Loreak](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loreak/gifts).



> Hola! ♥️
> 
> This story would not have been possible without Evendale and Loreak. Both of them have been so so instrumental in the creation of this fic and I couldn't have done it without their constant support and their enthusiasm. Evendale inspired me to write it, and Loreak made extra sure I finish it. Thank you so much! ♥️♥️♥️ You are the best! I love you!
> 
> I think we all deserve a story like this these days, and I hope I did it justice. :)

The first thing he saw when he woke up was her face illuminated by the morning light, adding soft highlights to her features. She looked beautiful, her hands folded under her pillow, tousled strands of her hair spread out over her pillow and her shoulders. An almost disbelieving smile slowly spread across his face at the realization that this was only one of many, many mornings he would get to spend with her, one of many mornings he would get to wake up next to her. He would get to spend the rest of his life with her if he did it right. All of his mornings. And days. And nights. He wanted it all. He would never be able to get enough of her, that he was sure of.

Behind Raquel’s sleeping figure, he could see a mountain range out of the window of their camper, a truly breathtaking sight. Some mountains were still clouded in the fog that moved up the mountains in the morning, others were visible in all their glory. The mountains were impressive, he thought, but as his gaze drifted back to her, he became mesmerized by the way the light danced on her skin, the light interrupted here and there by leaves moving in the wind, and, in an instant, the mountains were forgotten again. No matter how picturesque their surroundings were, to him, Raquel would always be the much more beautiful sight.

A strand of her hair fell across her face. He almost wanted to reach out and touch her, but she looked so relaxed, so at peace, he didn’t dare disturb her sleep. Instead, he just looked at her for a moment, drinking her in as she lay there peacefully sleeping, bathed in the morning sun.

His smile grew wider and he carefully turned on his back, grinning at the ceiling. What a wonderful, _wonderful_ feeling this was. There was nothing in the world he wanted more than to be here with her. Well, not _here_ specifically. The place didn’t matter. He knew that anywhere she went he would follow. He didn’t even have to think about it.

When he turned to look at her again, the strand of hair had fallen further across her face. Did he dare move it? Maybe he could just…

As carefully as he could, he moved the piece of hair away from her face. He smiled to himself, pleased that he had managed to accomplish this task without waking her. But now, with her face uncovered, he suddenly felt a deep sense of longing. He wanted to reach out and touch her, breathe her in, run his fingers through her hair, kiss her, hold her, and never let go. He took a deep breath and checked his wristwatch. 8:52. It might be another hour before she woke up. He lowered his hand and let out a silent sigh.

He wanted to share this moment with her, he craved her smile, the way her eyes scrunched up when she laughed. The way her face relaxed when she looked at him, and the way her eyes started shining.

No, he thought, he couldn’t possibly wake her yet. But maybe there was something else he could do.

He lifted the covers ever so carefully, swung his legs over the edge one by one, cautious not to make any noise or move too hastily lest it would wake her. He sat up and looked back over his shoulder. Good, she was still asleep. When he saw her lying there, he almost wanted to crawl back into bed and wrap her in his arms again, a feeling of tenderness flowing through every part of his body. He took his eyes off her with effort and got up. He tiptoed over to the door, sending her sleeping figure one more longing backward glance, and closed it behind him.

* * *

A short while later, he delicately sat a tray down on her nightstand. He adjusted the small flower he had picked outside in its vase and repositioned the cutlery next to the plate. Then, he circled the bed and slipped back under the covers as carefully as he had gotten out of them.

She was still asleep. He checked his watch one more time. 9:25. They had gone to bed a little later than usual last night, but by now, she should have gotten enough sleep. Would it be okay to wake her now? Maybe he could just reach out and gently touch her arm or call her name ever so softly? Yes, half-past nine seemed like a reasonable time. But just as he was about to wake her, at last, she stirred.

“Good morning,” she said and stretched in bed.

“Good morning, my love,” he replied and kissed her hand.

She smiled a sleepy smile at him and looked around, refamiliarizing herself with her surroundings. Then, she noticed the tray next to her.

“What’s this? Breakfast in bed?” she said softly, her voice still husky with sleep, and she brought her arms around his neck. “What did I do to deserve that?”

What had she done to deserve that? She made his life so much better just by being in it. He’d gladly trade in all his earthly possessions for a second with her. She understood him, she was there for him. She had given him a new life, a new dream, something to strive for, something that far surpassed everything he had ever thought he wanted in life. With her, he felt truly alive for the first time.

“I can think of a couple of things,” he said, smiling.

“You’re spoiling me.”

“Not really,” he said lightly and draped his arm over her side, drawing her closer.

She smiled and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

“Thank you,” she said, kissing him again. Really, she thought, waking up to find him next to her, to kiss him, to embrace him and be embraced by him was the best thing.

“Anything for my wife,” he said.

She moved away from him and looked at him, her eyes shining. A warm, light feeling of joy spread throughout her body as she looked at him, a feeling so pure and yet so inexpressible. The sheer bliss of being here, with him.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she replied, cocking her head and smiling broadly. “I just want to look at my husband.”

“Oh,” he replied, mirroring her smile and as he did so, she moved closer, leaning her forehead against his.

“I still can’t believe we’re married,” she whispered.

“I know. I can’t quite believe it either.”

She sighed happily as she moved her hands downwards along the side of his body and wrapped her arm around his middle. She felt so safe with him, so utterly blissfully happy – was she sure she wasn’t still dreaming? This sure felt like a dream, the best dream she ever had. 

She moved her head so she could kiss him, again and again, until they were both slightly breathless.

“I’m _so_ glad I married you.”

“Yeah, me too.”

She turned around and looked at the breakfast he had prepared. There was a cup of coffee, some juice, a little cup with milk to pour into her coffee, scrambled eggs, a little flower in a vase and–

“You made me heart-shaped sandwiches?” she asked and turned around to look at him.

She was smiling widely and chuckled, and he blushed. “Yes, I… uhm…it’s silly, I…”

“No, I love it,” she reassured him. “And I love you for making me heart-shaped sandwiches.”

She took a bite out of her sandwich and sipped her coffee, then she turned to him and gave him an appreciative smile. “It’s delicious.”

When she had finished, she sighed contentedly and let herself fall on her back next to him, cuddling close to his frame. Then, her eye caught sight of the mountains.

“It’s so beautiful here.”

“Yes,” he replied absentmindedly. “Yes, it’s quite a beautiful sight.”

She looked up and caught him looking at her.

“I feel like you’re not paying attention to the essential things.”

“Oh, but I am.”

She chuckled softly. “Oh, stop it!”

“Okay, I will if you want me to.”

She considered him for a moment, then reached for his face, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. He looked so sweet as he gazed at her lovingly, and she felt like, at this moment, she was the only thing that mattered to him. She brushed the hair out of his face, letting her hand linger on his cheek as she gazed into his eyes.

“No, don’t stop,” she whispered.

He chuckled silently, shifting closer to her.

With her in his arms, he felt completely at peace, there wasn’t a single worry or care on his mind other than her. He wanted to stop time and live in this moment, drink her in, hold her close, closer to his chest. If she hadn’t been right there in his arms, he could have sworn he was dreaming, and what a nice dream that would have been. But she was here. This was real. For a moment, he wondered if she felt the same, if she felt that all of this was bigger, better, brighter than she had imagined.

“This feels like a dream.”

“Yes, it does. But this is better than any dream, way better.”

“How?”

“Because this is a _reality_ , you, me, _us_ …” she smiled.

A happy feeling blossomed in his chest for about the hundredth time that day. _God_ , how he loved her. And when she looked at him now, so blissfully happy, so completely enamored with him, it was like the world had stopped turning. All the noise and chaos of the world were gone with her smile.

“We should have done this sooner.”

“What?”

“Get married. Go on our honeymoon.”

“Maybe,” she said. “But right now, this is perfect.”

She smiled at him and he thought he might just burst with happiness. He had such a love for her, he felt it was too much to be contained in a single person. He would never tire of being with her, of touching her, kissing her, of hearing her laugh. Of looking into her eyes and seeing that same love, that same desire reflected back at him.

“I wanna stay like this forever,” she whispered next to his ear, and he smiled in response.

“Forever is a long time,” he said.

“Yes,” she agreed, “but I get to spend every second of it with you.”

“I want that, too.”

“Well, isn’t that a lucky coincidence,” she mused.

“The probability that you would want to spend your whole life with me increased significantly when I proposed, and you agreed to marry me. So it’s not so much a coincidence as a certainty, and the…” he stopped when she propped herself up on her elbow and looked at him with a mixture of amusement and indignation, eyebrows raised.

“But as far as luck is concerned,” he amended, smiling, “I’m the luckiest man in the world.”

She broke into laughter and bent down to kiss him. “I’m glad you think so.”

* * *

He moved to the edge of the bed, ready to get dressed to continue their journey through the highlands. She protested softly, reaching out to the spot next to him where his warmth still lingered.

“Sergio,” she murmured. “Come back.”

He grinned back over his shoulder.

“We have to get going.”

“Says who?”

Well, she had him there. He smiled to himself.

“We can’t just spend our honeymoon in the mountains,” he said determinedly.

She disentangled from the covers and moved closer to him, sitting down behind him, and she slid her hands around him.

“Says who?” she repeated, nuzzling his neck.

“Raquel,” he protested weakly. “We have to…”

“Come back,” she said again.

It was getting increasingly harder to think with her pressing kisses to his back, with her hands wandering across his chest.

Maybe they could stay here a while longer?

He half-turned around to face her, and she looked back at him with soft eyes.

He cupped her face and pressed a soft kiss on her lips, but then tore himself away again with supreme effort. They only had a couple of days, and he had meticulously planned their trip, and any delay would cost them. If they left now, they’d arrive just on time at their next destination, just like they were supposed to.

“We should really get going,” he whispered. Yet neither of them moved.

Her face was still in front of his, and she was _so_ close. It would be so easy to just close the distance between them again. And, by God, he wanted to.

Maybe they could afford to be a _little_ late. Maybe they could just drive a _little_ faster.

She kissed him again, and her hands moved down his sides.

Yes, maybe they could drive a little faster in the plains when there was nothing but road on end.

They broke apart for a moment and he turned around fully, his chest now full of longing, his body tingling where she had touched him.

Maybe they could just skip the ancient ruins later on.

The way she was looking at him now, that soft glow in her eyes, her lips slightly parted, breathless with anticipation. How could he deny her when she looked at him like that?

Yes, who needed to look at those ruins anyway. They were just heaps of stones, after all.

His hands were in her hair now, hers around him, and they moved together as they sank into kiss after kiss, falling backwards into the cushions.


	2. Noon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sergio and Raquel spend the day in the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hola otra vez! ♥️
> 
> For this chapter, I once again have to thank Evendale and Loreak. Both of them have helped me so so much with this chapter - from discussing possible names and their meanings to finding creative solutions for very specific problems - I really couldn't have done it without either of them. 
> 
> Thank you, Loreak, for figuring this out with me! I can always count on your insights and your support! ♥️ Thank you for always letting me bug you! :D
> 
> And, as always, for this and for everything, thank you, Evendale! Thank you for always being there for me. And thank you for suggesting ways to improve the chapter and for helping me make sure Sergio and Raquel are having a pretty good time. :D I'm so blessed to have you in my life! ♥️
> 
> Hope you enjoy! :)

He couldn’t help but watch her as they walked through the city, his fingers interwoven with hers, taking a peek sideways every so often. It was noon, and the streets were bustling with life, vendors praising their produce left and right, street food sizzling in hot oil, the smell of fried plantains in the air, and the music that ebbed out to the street from the stores added to the vivacity of the moment.

There was a lightness to this moment he wanted to bottle up, her lips curved into a smile, her hair flowing in the soft breeze, her hand in his.

Every time she looked back at him, he felt a mixture of giddiness and happiness bubbling in his chest, and he felt like he would burst if he didn’t kiss her anytime soon.

When he couldn’t stand it anymore, he swiftly pulled her into an alley, away from the crowd. For a moment, she seemed a bit confused, but when his eyes locked with hers, her face lit up and she smiled into the kiss he placed on her lips.

“You’re in serious trouble,” she whispered against his lips, “if you can’t even go a couple of hours without kissing me.”

“Do you mind?” he asked, a sheepish smile on his lips.

“No,” she sighed happily, “lucky for you, I love kissing you.”

“I’m glad,” he said. “Because I want to keep kissing you for the rest of my life.”

“Not if I kiss you first.”

She grinned and pulled his face towards hers for another kiss. She blindly stumbled backwards, and he followed her until she felt the wall of a building against her back and she leaned against it. She ran her fingertips through his beard and stroked the back of his neck, pulling him closer and closer. He responded in kind, his hands cupping her face, intertwining with her hair, pushing it out of her face as he placed kiss after kiss on her mouth. He reveled in the softness of her lips, the touch of her fingertips against his face – how he wished this moment would never stop, that the rising feeling of pride, of joy, of bliss in his chest, would never cease, that _forever_ was this moment.

When they broke apart for a moment and he looked up at her, his feelings threatened to overwhelm him. She was everything to him, _everything_. Nothing had ever mattered and nothing would ever matter as much as she did, he was sure of it. As he looked into her eyes, a thought formed in his mind, so urgent, so brilliant, so certain. _He loved her._

“You make everything better, Raquel,” he said softly.

As she looked into his eyes, she saw but one emotion in them: love – a bottomless, never-ending, all-encompassing love. The kind of love that left you feeling a little breathless just thinking about it. The one you read about in books or see in movies but that rarely ever happened. And they had found it.

She wanted to remember this moment, always. The way he looked at her right now, his eyes full of love and tenderness, his hair framing his face in soft curls, the freckles on his nose, that gentle smile on his lips, the way his smile seeped into every feature of his face. To know that he looked at _her_ like this, with such pride in his expression, such happiness – she could feel that same feeling spreading through her body, a contagious joy that connected them, made her feel alive, made everything better. Being with him felt like breathing, like every cell in her body had been awakened. The colors around her were suddenly more vibrant, the music sweeter, the air rife with endless possibilities, all of which she wanted to share with him.

“I love you,” she breathed. She wished he could look inside her chest and see how her heart was positively glowing, brimming with happiness at this moment. “I love you _so_ much.”

“And I love you,” he replied.

She moved her hand to trace the side of his face, softly brushing his hair behind his ear. The sunlight hit it in just the right way so that his hair had taken on a golden sheen. He looked so good, so handsome. Her hand came to rest on his chest, and she felt his heart beating beneath her palm. When their eyes locked again, it was like their bodies were moving towards each other on their own accord, her hands tugging at his shirt to pull him closer and closer yet, his arms encircling her waist. God, she wanted to kiss him.

They kept looking at each other for a few breathless moments before his lips found hers again. When she kissed him now, she felt the world around them fall away. They kissed each other softly and tenderly at first, savoring every moment, then with more intensity and urgency as they went on, deepening the kiss with a hunger that was matched by the other.

They only stopped when they suddenly heard a voice behind them.

“Hey, lovebirds, get a room,” the voice said laughing, and as Raquel turned her head in surprise, she saw a grinning middle-aged woman walking away.

Raquel leaned her forehead against Sergio’s and smiled, taking a moment to recover.

Then she moved away from him so she could see his face. She looked at him, grinning, and when his eyes met hers, they both erupted into laughter.

“I think we’re both in serious trouble,” she mused.

“Yes, I think that might be the case,” he agreed, smoothing his clothes before he took her hand again and they walked back onto the main road.

* * *

They walked past a series of stores, each with colorfully decorated fronts.

“Let’s take a look,” she suggested, gently pulling his arm in the direction of a novelty store.

He opened his mouth to say he didn’t much care for these kinds of stores or their rather disposable items, but then she looked at him, and he saw the delight in her eyes, and he found himself nodding instead.

Raquel started browsing through some of the sections in the back of the store, while Sergio felt himself drawn to some of the items in the front. After a while, Raquel joined him, slipping her hand into his.

“Have you found anything?” he asked.

“Just this,” she replied, pulling a woolen hat with a pompom on top from her head. “Let’s see how it looks on you.”

“Raquel, it’s thirty degrees outside,” he objected, laughing, as she proceeded to place the hat on his head.

“So? It’s going to get cold eventually,” she said lightly.

“I’m sure we can find other ways to keep warm,” he said quietly, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

She chuckled.

“I like the way you think,” she said and looked up at him with an amused smile on her lips. “You _do_ look cute in that hat, though.”

He grinned and took the hat off.

“Did you find anything?” she asked, taking the hat from him, and she looked at the displays in front of him. “Should we get something for Paula?”

A smile appeared on his face and he, too, turned his attention to the items in front of him: a variety of bracelets in all sorts of colors, different styles, ranging from slimmer to broader ones. Sergio moved his hand across the various bracelets before he selected one.

“How about this?” he asked, holding up a light blue bracelet, a small bead in the shape of an animal braided into it.

She gave him a warm look. “She would love that!”

“Oh, is this for your daughter?” the woman behind the counter called out to them.

“Yes, our daughter is waiting for us at home while we’re away on a little trip,” she explained.

 _Our daughter_ , he thought, and a slow smile spread across his lips. Sergio looked at Raquel who smiled back at him.

“I’m sure she’s going to love this!” the woman exclaimed. “How old is she?”

“She’s almost twelve,” Raquel supplied.

The woman smiled. “That’s a great age.” Then she moved closer, “You know, you should get three of these. One for each of you. Technically, they’re friendship bracelets, but they can be family bracelets.”

Sergio grinned at the woman’s clever attempt to up her sales, but, at the same time, he found himself smiling at the thought. It wasn’t like they couldn’t afford it.

“Yes, we’ll take three,” he stated.

The woman smiled broadly. “Wonderful! Can I also interest you in one of these blankets? They’re hand-woven, one hundred percent alpaca wool. A beautiful addition to any home. We have them in any color, any size.”

“They are beautiful,” Sergio agreed without thinking.

“Which one would you like?” the woman continued happily.

“Oh, uhm, I…”

Next to him, Raquel started laughing quietly. The woman kept looking at him expectantly, encouragingly, and he turned to Raquel.

“Which one would you like, Raquel?”

“The red one is nice,” she replied.

“The red one,” Sergio said.

The woman nodded approvingly.

“And I’d also like to buy this hat, please,” Raquel added with a side glance at Sergio and placed the hat on the counter. Sergio shook his head ever so slightly and grinned.

The woman kept chatting away, and when they left the shop a while later, they each held a bag full of items from the store.

The moment they stepped outside, they both started laughing, each briefly looking at the purchases in the bags in their hands.

“I can’t believe we bought all these things,” he laughed.

“She had you wrapped around her little finger the second she mentioned Paula,” she grinned. “I only bought that hat.”

“The one I look cute in?”

“You always look cute.”

“Is that so?” he mused.

“Very much so,” she said lightly, and she pushed herself higher on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

He chuckled and reached for her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.

* * *

“I have a reservation here for Sebastian Macias and Rita Muñoz,” the waiter announced. “Table for two.”

“Yes, that’s us,” Raquel confirmed.

“Great!” the waiter said. “Follow me, please.”

They followed the waiter to their table in a quieter area of the restaurant, away from the bustle of the other guests, and they sat down.

“Here are your menus. Take your time, I’ll be with you again in a minute.”

And with that, the waiter vanished from their view. They both looked at the menu in front of them, picked out something to drink and something to eat, and a short while later, the waiter took their orders and left them again.

When their food arrived, they were deep in conversation.

“So… you’re married to Rita Muñoz today, huh?” she grinned.

“Happily, yes,” he smiled.

She gave him a soft look.

Their marriage license had said Raya Martinez and Saviero Mendez, but it would only be a matter of time until those identities would become as useless to them as their predecessors.

She sighed. “It’s a shame we couldn’t get married with our real names.”

“What’s in a name anyway,” he smiled. “You loved me as Salva Martín, as Sergio Marquina, through all the different aliases we used in Palawan…”

She nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. None of that matters as long as I’m with you.”

Then he grinned.

“What?” she asked.

“Just think about all the advantages of getting married as fugitives. I could marry you as Rosalia Moreno tomorrow, as Ricarda Mendoza the day after, as Rebeca Marquez the next day, and as Rosario Maldonado the day after that…”

She looked at him with a soft expression on her face, holding in her breath, then chuckled. “It does sound very romantic when you say it like that.”

“We might have gotten married with fake names, but our marriage is still valid… we’ve just… committed a little fraud.”

“A little fraud, hm?” she asked, amused, raising her eyebrows.

“Well, we didn’t deceive each other,” he explained. “The fraud is against everyone else in the world. Not against each other. _Never_ against each other.”

Oh, now she really wanted to kiss him. It was a shame, really, that they were in a public place and that he was sitting so far away from her.

“I’ll make sure to add that to my criminal resume,” she said lightly.

“You’re keeping a record of all your offenses, huh?”

“It’s what I get for running off with one of the world’s most wanted criminals.” She smiled softly. “There is no one I’d rather commit crimes with.”

He chuckled and reached out a hand to squeeze hers. “Likewise.”

* * *

When they were walking back to where they had parked the camper later, the sky had clouded over.

“Looks like it’s going to rain.”

No sooner had he said it than the first raindrops began to fall down on them. Sergio looked at the sky a little dismayed.

“It’s just a little rain,” Raquel laughed. “We’ll be fine.”

The next moment, thunder echoed through the streets, and the sky opened above them.

“You call this a _little_ rain?” Sergio asked. His shirt had already begun to stick to his skin in wet spots.

“Let’s run,” she said, still laughing, taking him by the hand and they hurried through the rain together.

It wasn’t far, but by the time they got to their vehicle, they were soaking wet.

“Do you have the key?” he asked her, patting himself down.

“I thought you had it,” she replied, rummaging through her things.

He looked at her expectantly, both of them getting increasingly wetter by the second – if that was even possible.

She looked up briefly as she fished for the key in her purse. He looked quite miserable standing there in the rain, his hair in wet strands across his face, his shirt clinging to his body, his forehead in a frown.

“Hey,” she said, abandoning her search, moving closer to him, smiling.

“Go away, you’re wet,” he laughed.

She burst out laughing and embraced him.

He chuckled. “I think by now we can agree it’s definitely not just a _little_ rain.”

She gave him an apologetic look but then smiled.

“I think I’m past caring,” she said softly, bringing her body even closer to his. “We’re already drenched to the bone, I’m not in a hurry to get inside.”

“You want to stay outside?” he asked, perplexed.

“We might as well enjoy it,” she said. “It’s the first time since we left the mountains that the weather is not a million degrees.”

She felt him relax into her embrace now, and he brought his own arms around her, encircling her waist, pulling her closer to him. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, then he blinked up at the sky, a few forlorn sunbeams breaking through the clouds, then he looked back at her. Her hair hung in wet curls around her face, her dress soaking wet as well. Suddenly, he smiled.

“What?” she whispered, their faces centimeters apart. She reached up to touch his face, trailing her fingers downwards through his beard.

“Nothing,” he said, “I just thought about…”

He paused, and she gave him an encouraging smile.

“… about how much my life has changed. With you. It’s like there is a whole world I’ve yet to see, and… every day with you is… filled with new experiences… wonderful experiences… being with you has taught me that some of the most wonderful things happen unplanned.”

She leaned against his chest and he hugged her closer.

“So… you like that I’ve turned your life upside down, huh?” she said quietly.

She felt him chuckle.

“How about this then… May I have his dance?” she asked.

She brought a little distance between them to look at him.

“You want to dance?” he asked, surprise in his voice.

“Yes,” she said simply. “Let’s dance in the rain.”

“There is no music… and, well…” he started, and suddenly an embarrassed look appeared on his face. “I… uhm… I can’t dance. Or at least I look ridiculous when I dance…”

“There is no one here. It’s just you and me,” she said soothingly. “You can just hold me… and we can sway a little…”

When she moved closer into his embrace again, bringing her arms around his neck, she felt his discomfort fade away. She sighed happily against his chest and felt his arms tighten around her as his head came to rest on top of hers. She started humming one of the songs they kept listening to on their road trip, and they swayed to the music for a while, holding each other close, and he, too, started humming along to the song.

“I love being close to you,” she whispered, pressing herself against him even more, letting her hands wander around his back.

Then she looked at him again and she brought her hands to cup his face once more, kissing him deeply.

“You have very nice shoulders…” she murmured against his lips, “and such nice arms…” Her hands continued their exploration of his body, running downwards from his shoulders, across his arms, and down to his hands. She brought one of his hands to her lips and pressed a kiss to it. “I love your hands.”

“I feel like you’re not taking this very seriously,” he laughed. “I feel like you want something from me.”

“I just can’t get enough of my handsome, smart, sweet, _sexy_ husband,” she protested, giggling and she grinned up at him. “And I always want you.”

When she looked at his face, his eyes were shining with delight, and he gently pushed her away, catching her by the hand and twirling her through their linked arms. She laughed as he spun her around underneath their arms, and she crashed against his chest as he brought her back to him.

“So you _do_ want to dance,” she said, a little dizzy from the sudden movement.

“I don’t think this qualifies as dancing,” he said matter-of-factly.

“It can if you keep it up,” she grinned.

He smiled back. Then, he became serious.

“Raquel, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

She looked up at him attentively.

“I want to share every moment with you,” he continued. “The sunshine and the rain, and everything in between.”

She reached for his face again and softly pressed her lips to his.

“You know,” she said lightly, brushing the wet hair out of his face, “we’ve already committed fraud once. We can commit fraud again.”

He laughed. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I’d marry you with a thousand different names. I’d marry you again tomorrow.”

“I know,” she smiled and kissed him again. “I would, too. But we’re already married. And the paperwork…”

They chuckled.

“We have that one marriage certificate… and we have each other. That’s enough for me,” she said softly.

He brought his lips to hers again, sinking into kiss after kiss. She felt his hands move across her back, and she let her hands wander down his body as well, across his shoulder blades, his lower back...

She slid her hand further down until she reached his buttocks, but then she frowned.

“Sergio?”

“Hm?”

She reached into his back pocket and pulled something out, then she held it up in front of him.

“You had the key this entire time,” she said.

He seemed stunned for a moment, then broke out in laughter.

“Well, it’s a good thing you can’t keep your hands off me or we never would have found it,” he teased.

She too started laughing, burying her face in his shoulder.

When they looked up at the sky again a moment later, they noticed that the rain had let up.

“Let’s get inside,” she said.

“Yes, let’s go,” he agreed and grinned, and they walked towards the camper hand in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I initially wrote this as a one-shot, but then it sort of accidentally became a three-shot if you will :D
> 
> I've already finished the whole thing, so I'm gonna post chapter three next Saturday (I just don't know whether or not I want to include the smut yet, hahahahaha!)


	3. Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last stop: the beach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hola tod@s! ♥️
> 
> Once again, I cannot thank Evendale and Loreak enough for their help with this chapter. You're the best!
> 
> Thank you Loreak for being my emotional support smut writer. ♥️ I'm so glad we were both writing a smut scene for the first time at the same time, and that I got to cry about it to and with you. Thank you for checking in on Sergio and Raquel almost all the time and for making sure I didn't leave them stuck in one position for too long and that I finish this thing... ♥️
> 
> Thank you Evendale for always being there for me and for your patience and encouragement whenever I just wanted to delete all of this, for giving me this idea (and many others), and for your help with this chapter. Thank you for being my guiding light whenever I was lost... I couldn't have done it without you. ♥️ Also, without you, I probably wouldn't have written anything because you encouraged me to write and finish and then publish my stories in the first place. I'm so blessed to have you in my life! ♥️♥️♥️
> 
> Hope you enjoy! :)

She was looking out at the sea, marveling at its beauty as the last rays of sunlight vanished behind it. The ocean sent wave after wave to the beach, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore mixing with the music coming from the radio inside their camper that was parked not too far away from where she was sitting. She looked back over her shoulder to where Sergio had vanished inside of it.

He had gotten up from the blanket they were sitting on just a minute ago and, still, she was anxious for him to get back. She had enjoyed having him close, right here in their little bubble that contained them and only them. Sometimes she found it hard to believe that they were really here, that this wasn’t just a particularly lovely dream. And yet here they were, in yet another part of the world. They had spent the last couple of days driving their camper across the country, across mountains and valleys, grasslands, and now, finally, the beach.

The evening had cooled the air down somewhat and the heat of the day had given way to a nice breeze. She was looking out to the ocean again when she heard him return and sit down next to her, two wine glasses in his hands.

“Thank you,” she said, taking one of the glasses from him.

“To our honeymoon,” he said, raising his glass.

“To us,” she said, clinking her glass against his.

They both took a sip, then looked out at the sea again, the water reflecting the vibrant, deep pink and orange tones of the sky.

“It’s so lovely here,” she sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder, and she felt him nod.

“I never thought that this was for me,” he said quietly after a while.

She turned to look at him. “What do you mean?”

“To love someone like I love you. Marriage. Sitting here with you, watching the sunset.”

She linked his hand with his and squeezed it, a soft expression on her face.

“I love you.”

They gazed at each other for a moment, both lost in the other.

He felt himself overcome with a deep sense of happiness as he looked at her. There was so much he wanted to say to her, but he felt that words could never express the depth of his feelings, the happiness he felt every day anew at the realization that she was right here with him. He hadn’t wanted to share his life with anyone until he met her, and now he couldn’t begin to fathom what his life would look like without her. He loved that he was the one whose hand she held walking down the street, that he was the one who got to wake up next to her in the morning and that he got to fall asleep next to her at night, that he was the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. He loved her. Honestly, how could he not love her?

“I love you too.”

* * *

They sat at the beach in silence for a while, enjoying the sight, the sky above them increasingly painted in violet and blue hues, a couple of stars already visible above them, a full moon hung in the air above the line of the horizon, the sound of the waves and the music filling their ears. She felt so calm, so at ease. The sun might have gone down, but the night was still young and full of possibilities, and as she watched the ocean calmly send after wave to the shore, an idea suddenly struck her.

“We never went for a swim.”

He turned his head to look at her. “Yeah, we were too busy with, well, _other things_.”

She grinned in response.

“Though I suppose we could still do it…”

“Sure, we can wake up early tomorrow and–”

“No,” she said softly. “I meant right now.”

“Now?” he asked with a trace of alarm in his voice. “It’s the middle of the night, and it’s dark.”

“Yes,” she said, looking at him intently, “it’s just you and me in the moonlight…”

“Sure, we can just go grab our bathing suits,” he said and made a move to get up, but she shook her head.

“We don’t need them…”

She let the end of her sentence hang in the air and waited for him to catch her drift.

“You want to… _oh_ …”

“Uh-huh,” she nodded.

“I’m sure people here aren’t very enthusiastic about public nudity.”

She grinned. “But that’s the brilliant part, Sergio. There is no one here.”

“But I’m pretty sure it’s illegal.”

She chuckled.

“Says the guy who’s conducted not one but two of the world’s biggest heists. There is absolutely no one here. And it’s dark. And they can’t see we’re naked in the water anyway… and,” she added, looking deep into his eyes, “it’s just a little crime, a misdemeanor at most. We’ve done worse.”

She got up.

“So, are you coming?” she asked, and he looked like he was about to protest her leaving his side, but then hesitated.

“I… uhm…”

She bent down to peck him on the lips. “Suit yourself.”

And with that, she tied her hair up, rid herself of her clothes, and then waded into the ocean. When she was about halfway in, she turned her head to look back at him. She smiled in silent triumph as she saw him get up and take off his clothes, shaking his head, smiling. She watched with amusement as he folded his pants and his shirt, followed by his underwear.

When he caught up with her, she had vanished even further and only her head protruded from the water.

“Aren’t you cold?” he called out to her, clenching his fists as he continued to make his way to her.

“It gets better once you’re in the water.”

She moved towards him, remaining underwater up to her throat, and held her hand out to him.

“Come on,” she said softly.

He took her hand and she gently pulled him into the ocean until he, too, was up to his neck in water. After a while, she felt him relax a bit.

“How do you feel?”

“Still cold.”

She gave him a sympathetic smile, then moved closer, embracing him.

“How about now?”

She felt him chuckle.

“Better,” he answered.

“Yeah, I thought that might make you feel better,” she smiled. “But I think we can improve the situation even more… how about this?”

She pressed a kiss to his lips, and he hummed in response, then kissed her back, softly at first, and then with a growing hunger until she pulled back a little.

“We should stop before we do something that’s _really_ illegal,” she whispered, her eyes sparkling.

“Yeah, maybe,” he said breathlessly.

He chuckled.

“Strong-arm robbery, breach of the public peace, resisting arrest, possession of weapons, disclosure of secrets, collaboration with armed groups, hostage-taking, kidnapping. A little fraud. We’ve done it all. And now for the grand finale, public indecency.”

“This is definitely the most enjoyable crime I’ve committed so far,” he said and broke into a smile, then bent his head to kiss her once more.

* * *

For a moment, the wind picked up, and she wrapped her arms around herself. After they had gone swimming in the ocean, they had dried themselves off and put their clothes back on, but the air had cooled down significantly now and she felt a little chilly in her summer dress.

Sergio looked at her, and before she could say anything, he got up.

“I’ll be right back,” he announced.

Raquel raised her eyebrows expectantly, and he pecked her on the lips before he jogged to the camper. When she saw him come out of the camper again, he held a red blanket in his hands, and she smiled. A moment later, she felt him wrap half a blanket around her, covering himself with the other half as he sat down beside her, holding her close, and she felt better immediately.

“You’re sweet,” she said. She adjusted the blanket on her shoulder as she leaned against him then reached for his hand, intertwining her fingers with his, and squeezed it. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he smiled.

“Seems like _someone_ made a very smart purchase the other day,” she said, grinning.

“It would seem so, yes,” he replied, mirroring her grin.

She cuddled closer to him, reveling in his warmth, and she turned her head to kiss his shoulder. He smiled and moved his hand to lift her head, then placed a soft kiss on her lips. She leaned her forehead against his shoulder again, breathing in his scent, and a warm feeling spread all throughout her body.

Then, she felt him chuckle, and he looked at her, grinning.

“What?”

“Look at us,” he said. “Now you’re the one who wants to break the law.”

“What can I say? You’ve corrupted me.”

“I think you wanted to be corrupted.”

“Oh yeah?” she challenged softly.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure,” he said, feathering kisses up her neck and along the side of her face, towards the corner of her mouth, and she melted into his touch, moving her head to give him more access to her neck. He trailed one of his hands across her arm, drawing lazy circles on her shoulder, then started caressing her back.

“Maybe I did want to be corrupted just a little bit…” she hummed, “after all, you make very convincing arguments…”

He had arrived at her mouth and she parted her lips in anticipation.

“That’s what I like to hear,” he replied, placing one last, soft, lingering kiss on the corner of her mouth before moving away.

“Hey!” she protested and lightly slapped his arm. “Come back here!”

“Or what?”

“Or I might have to add another crime to my resume.”

He chuckled. “Like what?”

She pushed him on his back and moved so she hovered above him. “That,” she said laughing, “is entirely up to you.”

He laughed, pulling her down for a kiss, one of his hands in her hair, the other pulling her closer and closer until she came to lie on top of him as they sank into kiss after kiss. He could have spent all of eternity kissing her. Every kiss sent a warm feeling through his body, with every touch from her, he felt more and more alive.

“Enough crimes for today,” he said when they parted for a moment, smiling. He pressed one more soft kiss to her lips, before she rolled off of him and lay next to him, and for a moment, they both looked at the sky, now full of stars shining radiantly above them.

“I’ll never get tired of this view.”

“Yeah, it’s quite impressive,” he agreed.

“Makes you feel quite small, doesn’t it?”

He stayed silent, looking at the night sky, then at her, moving his hand to brush a strand of her hair the evening breeze had blown in her face back behind her ear.

“Who knows how long it’s all been there… probably millions of years…” she thought out loud. “And these stars will outlast all of us… for something that’s been around for as long as they have been, human lives just zap by. We could lie here for hours, and in the grand scheme of things, it’s just a moment. Almost insignificant.”

“But it’s not insignificant,” he said.

“No,” she smiled and turned to him. “No, it’s not.”

He turned his head and pressed his lips to hers. He would always remember this moment, he thought, lying underneath the stars with her. He’d be old and grey, thousands of old and new memories in the back of his head, but he would never forget this. The memory would become a little fuzzy around the edges, the details would fade in his mind, but the glowing feeling in his chest, the significance this moment had for him, the sensation of her lying close to him, her body warm, cuddled close to his, _that_ he would never forget.

She was looking at the sky again, dark and clear above them, the stars contrasting brilliantly against the midnight blue sky.

“I’m so glad I get to share all of this with you,” she said softly. “There is no place I would rather be.”

She half turned to him, her hand resting on his chest, and he covered her hand with his own.

He looked at her again, her face half illuminated by the moon. She looked so lovely, her hair framing her face as she looked back at him, and a wave of emotions rose up in his chest. A tenderness flooded his body, her smile connecting to something in his heart, and he found himself smiling back almost beside himself. She had become a part of his life, a part of his soul. Her essence had seeped into his, and he felt it was impossible to imagine his life any other way. She made everything better. He didn’t think about anything else as they lay there, gazing into each other’s eyes – the only thing he thought about was how much he loved her, how loving her had become such a necessity in his life.

“I feel the same way,” he said, and she bend down once more to kiss him, tenderly and without haste, his heart beating beneath the palm of her hand.

They kissed for a while, placing kiss after kiss on each other’s lips. It was like the world had stopped turning around them, and only the two of them existed at that moment, the sound of the waves and the music in the background becoming faintly recognizable noises, the cool breeze barely even noticeable.

All that was left was him and her and that kiss.

After a while, they reluctantly broke apart and they looked at each other.

“Maybe we should go to bed…” she suggested, smiling.

“Yeah, it’s gotten kind of late,” he answered, kissing her one more time before he got up, shaking a few grains of sand out of his clothes, then helped her up as well.

“Sergio,” she said, looking up at him appealingly, “I wasn’t talking about going to sleep.”

“Oh,” he said, comprehension dawning on his face.

“Is that something you want?” she asked. There was a twinkling in her eyes, a softness to her expression, and the way she never let go of him entirely, her hand interlinked with his now, that made his heart flutter and overflow with emotion again.

As an answer, he brought his lips to hers and kissed her. Only for a moment, he felt her smile against his lips, then she kissed him back. He couldn’t get enough of her, kissing her fully, deeply. He wanted to surrender himself to her, so completely, so entirely.

How he loved kissing her! He privately thought that he could spend hours just doing that, just kissing and kissing Raquel, kissing her all over, her forehead, her lips, her neck, her shoulder, her arms, her hands, her fingertips, her breasts, her stomach, her–

“Sergio, I want you so much,” she breathed.

He lifted her, her legs wrapping around his middle, and her lips found his again. He walked blindly into the direction of the camper which was parked on the side of the road as she ran her hand through his hair, kissing, kissing, kissing him, and never letting go. Once they had reached the camper, she untangled from his waist and they stumbled inside, laughing, and she pulled his head towards her for more kisses as they kicked off their shoes and went inside.

She reached for the hem of his shirt, pushing it up and up until he caught the hem with his own hands and pulled the shirt over his head. The moment the fabric was out of the way, her lips were on his again, soft and warm against his own. She pushed the straps of her own clothes over her shoulders, her dress pooling at her feet, and then she went to work on his belt. He smiled as she pushed his pants down before they both stepped out of their clothes.

She pushed him onto the bed and smiled at him, mischief glistening in her eyes. For a moment, he lay still as he looked at her nearly naked figure, one side of her illuminated by the moonlight shining through the overhead window. She looked mesmerizing in this light, like a goddess wrapped in a silvery glow, leaving him breathless. What on earth had he done to deserve this, to deserve _her_?

When she took off her bra, unhooking it deliberately slowly, his breath caught in his throat. The look she gave him as she lowered the garment from her breasts undid him. He felt his desire for her increase tenfold, every part of him now longing to hold her in his arms, to kiss her, to caress and worship her body until she was happily exhausted in his arms. The moment her bra fell to the ground, he pushed himself up from the bed and caught her by the wrist, pulling her down to him.

She smiled as she came to lie on top of him, brushing his hair out of his face with her fingertips. His eyes were dark with want as he embraced her, and the next moment, he brought his lips to hers again and kissed her deeply. He marveled at the smoothness of her skin, the way her body molded into his, her weight anchoring him to the bed. She sank into kiss after kiss, while he let his hands roam all over her body, caressing her back, her arms, her face. At times, he couldn’t quite believe his luck, that she was here, that she was with him – that she wanted _him_. But this, _this_ was real.

He rolled over so he was half on top of her and he looked at her, breathlessly, and she looked back at him, a deep desire in her eyes. Still, for a moment, he couldn’t help but look at her. That fiery glow in her eyes as she gazed into his, the way her hair was sprawled out across the pillow. The way they were now, he wanted to remember that, always. That desire he felt for her, right now and all the time, the devotion he felt, that infinite yearning, that longing. He wanted to lose himself in her.

He trailed his fingers across her skin, along her clavicle, the small hollow between her collarbones, then further downwards between her breasts before he cupped one of them, lightly brushing her nipple with his thumb, goosebumps erupting all over her body. As he kissed her neck, she tilted her head to give him more access, sighing in anticipation. He feathered his kisses across her collarbone towards her shoulder, and she buried her hands in his hair as he slowly trailed his lips down towards her breasts, his hands running over her sides, traveling down towards her stomach and past her navel. He kept exploring her body with light touches, and when his hands had reached their destination, he briefly looked up at her, and she smiled down at him, biting her lip in anticipation. He hooked his fingers into her underwear, and she lifted her hips as he pulled them down. With her underwear removed, she opened herself up to him, and he settled himself between her legs.

He continued pressing kisses to the insides of her thighs, getting closer and closer to where he knew she wanted him until she protested and moved her hips closer to him, now desperate for contact, and he all too willingly obliged her. When he finally, finally closed his mouth over her and moved his tongue against her, her breath hitched. Oh, how he loved those sounds she made, the low hums, her soft moans, the way his name spilled from her lips almost despite herself. How he loved the way she moved in ecstasy beneath him, tilting her hips to give him better access, weaving her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer yet. Her desire for him sent a tingle through his body, and for a moment he couldn’t help but think about how much he loved her, always, but now in particular, when she was lying in front of him, and he was the one whose touch she craved – whose caress made her moan like this, gave her so much pleasure, made her long for more – and which he was so willing to give. Her breathing accelerated and her chest and cheeks flushed as he continued exploring her with his tongue. Soon, he felt her tense, her hands clutched at the sheets, and her legs began trembling as she came with a loud moan. After several long moments, she shook softly as he slowly tapered off. Then she stilled.

He smiled to himself as he moved up and let himself fall on the pillows next to her. She turned her head to him, a content smile on her face. Pieces of her hair were stuck to her face, her eyes bright and happy.

She couldn’t help but look at him as he lay there on the pillows next to her, his gaze locked with hers. She felt a surge of emotions engulf her. Her heart just felt so _full_. Full of love and lightness, and she felt a wave of calmness move outward from her center, passing through every cell in her body. She reached out a hand and ran her fingertips over the side of his face and he smiled as he pressed a kiss to her palm. Then, he brought his hand to her side again, tracing the curve of her hip, moving upwards with light touches. His hand on her body sent shivers down her spine and her body started tingling.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said softly.

As a response, she pulled him closer and kissed him. She thought about how peculiar it was to bare yourself to another person like that, to strip away all your layers, to reveal your truest self, show all your flaws, all your scars, and still never feel exposed. And so she lay there in front of him, naked, save for the ring on her finger, and she had never felt more safe or more beautiful.

“You make me feel beautiful,” she whispered when they separated.

He smiled softly.

Her own hand traveled down his body, across his shoulders – his broad, strong shoulders – and across his chest. She let her hand linger there for a moment before it traveled south, slowly trailing her fingertips across his stomach and then further down, and when she got to his underwear, she slipped her hand beneath the fabric. His response to her touch was almost instantaneous, and he groaned softly as her fingers closed around him.

“You’re wearing too many clothes,” she said impatiently and went to work on the last piece of clothing separating them.

With no more barriers left between them, she continued to run her fingers up and down his length and when he was hard, they moved to the edge of the bed and she straddled him, then bent her head to kiss him and he responded in kind at the same time.

“Raquel,” he breathed, his mouth mere centimeters in front of hers and his voice a little strained. “Please.”

She smiled as she lifted her hips and slowly sank down on him, burying him deep inside of her, and the moment she felt him enter her, she let out a breath. He felt _so_ good inside of her. She felt she should be used to the feeling by now, but every time they made love, every time he touched her, she felt alive, she felt _complete_.

For a brief moment, she looked into his eyes, now dark with desire again, and their lips met once more in a passionate kiss as she started moving her hips, riding him, slowly at first, feeling him move in and out of her, filling her up each time. She moaned softly every time he did, and she felt him respond to her movements, his hands roaming over her sides and back, his mouth now nuzzling her neck. She smiled softly and tilted her head to give him more access as she rocked against him.

He placed kisses on her shoulder as she continued to move on top of him, trailing his kisses up her throat until she caught his lips with her own, kissing him once more. When she picked up the speed, riding him harder, his hands moved to her hips, and she saw him lean his head back slightly and close his eyes as he groaned her name. She loved seeing him come undone like this, lost somewhere between pleasure and ecstasy.

He slipped a hand between them, and soon, she felt a delicious tension start to build inside of her, and her breathing accelerated as she felt the feeling inside her increase, radiating outwards from her core, well on her way to her own undoing. His breathing, too, became more uneven as she went on, alternating her movements until they were both breathing heavily, their faces flushed. The tension inside her kept rising, his fingertips working on her diligently with light touches, and rising, his lips on her neck, and rising, until she felt herself balancing on the edge.

A moment later, she felt the feeling overwhelm her, and she arched her back as she surrendered herself to it. She felt the tension break and send wave after wave of pleasure through her body, like cataracts from a spring inside her flowing into every part of her body, a golden-rimmed ecstasy that swept through her so she was trembling in his arms once more. She held onto him and he held her, never ceasing his caress, kissing her shoulder and stroking her back until she recovered.

She moved one of her hands to his face to brush a piece of hair that was stuck to his face away, then she cupped his cheek and pulled him closer to kiss him, resuming the movement of her hips. It didn’t take long before she felt him tense in her arms, and he, too, started shaking.

After, she looked up at him with warm eyes. All she could think about was how much she loved him. Never in her life had she felt like this – it was like her life had been separated into a before and after: with him and without him. And one was decidedly better than the other.

She felt so safe with him, so understood. She had never felt this close to anyone before. She was brimming with happiness, the joy of his presence, the desire for his touch. She would have melted into him if she could. She wanted to be one with him, not just at this moment, not even just in this life.

Everything had changed for the better when he had entered her life, and she knew he felt the same way about her. As she gazed into his eyes, a warm feeling spread through her body once again, and as they lay there in the afterglow, she couldn’t help but think how lucky she was. Tomorrow, they’d have to get back home, their honeymoon would be over. This entire time, they had felt like they were walking in dream, but the truth was that this far surpassed any dream they might have had.

She snuggled closer to his chest, and he cradled her in his arms, pressing soft kisses to her hair. She felt the relaxation tip over into sleepiness, and for a moment, she fought it – why should she surrender herself to her dreams when her reality was so much better? And so they stayed up for a little while, talking to each other softly, sweetly, until the sleepiness won out and they both drifted off to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated! (I will love you forever!)


End file.
